newbobooks Chapter 710 is usable, but shouldn't be taken as gospel.
Chapter 710 is usable, but shouldn't be taken as gospel.
As night deepened, candlelight flickered in the study of the inner courtyard of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Gu Junze dismissed the servants and took out a long, narrow brocade box from a hidden compartment behind his desk.
He walked to the window, where Chu Ruohan was leaning against the railing, gazing at a blooming osmanthus tree in the courtyard. The evening breeze blew her skirt, and the moonlight shone on her, making her look as soft as a painting.
"What are you thinking about?" Gu Junze gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.
Chu Ruohan turned her head and leaned against him, her voice filled with emotion: "I was thinking, in the blink of an eye, we've been married for almost twenty years."
Gu Junze handed the brocade box to her and said gently, "Open it and take a look."
Chu Ruohan was somewhat surprised. She took the brocade box and opened it. Inside lay a smooth, warm white jade hairpin. The head of the hairpin was carved into a lotus bud, simple in style, yet clearly made of the finest material.
"I saw it by chance a few days ago and thought it suited you." Gu Junze's voice was deep and gentle.
Chu Ruohan picked up the jade hairpin, held it up in her hair, and said reproachfully, "We're an old married couple, why are you still doing this?" Although she said that, she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.
Gu Junze took her hand and carefully inserted the jade hairpin into her hair. After examining it for a moment, he nodded in satisfaction.
"You look beautiful. In my heart, you will always be the same as when we first met."
Chu Ruohan chuckled, "When we first met, you were very wary of me."
Gu Junze hugged her even tighter, "At that time, I was unable to walk properly, and your sudden decision to marry someone else caught me completely off guard. But fortunately, my wife recognized my worth and chose me..."
Chu Ruohan felt a warmth in her heart, leaned against him, and enjoyed the tranquility that belonged only to the two of them.
After a moment, she spoke softly: "Today at the Duke of Anguo's mansion, there was indeed a girl who looked quite nice."
"Oh?" Gu Junze became interested. "Which one?"
"The youngest granddaughter of the old lady of the Duke of Anguo's mansion, and the legitimate daughter of the An family."
"I have some impression of that child. He seems gentle and quiet, unlike others who are loud and boisterous. He always stayed quietly by the old lady's side and was very well-behaved."
Gu Junze, however, was not as optimistic as she was. He picked up a chess piece from the table and fiddled with it between his fingers.
“The Duke of Anguo’s family would not marry their own granddaughter to a newly promoted third-rank official.”
Chu Ruohan was slightly taken aback, then understood the deeper meaning in her husband's words: "You mean...they have their eyes on the Crown Prince?"
Although the Duke of Anguo's family is a dukedom, it has no real power and has always remained neutral.
Now that the Third Prince has fallen from power and the Crown Prince's position is secure, it's perfectly normal for them to want to find a Crown Princess or a Crown Prince's concubine for their daughters.
"That's a good thing." Chu Ruohan smiled. "Our daughter is too straightforward. She can't be the Crown Princess, and she can't compete with others for it."
Upon hearing this, Gu Junze reached out and took her hand, his eyes filled with a doting smile: "Qingchen's free-spirited nature is good too."
The couple were enjoying this rare moment of tranquility when Gu Junze suddenly spoke up, changing the subject: "What do you think of Lin Jiayou?"
Upon hearing this name, Chu Ruohan's gentle expression faded, and she became serious.
She paused for a moment before slowly saying, "I trust Brother Lü's judgment. Since he hired Lin Jiayou, he must have been absolutely certain. But..."
She paused, her tone becoming more cautious, "As for whether Lin Jiayou is truly trustworthy, I dare not say for sure."
"To gain Zhao Chenyu's trust so soon after returning to Beijing is no small feat."
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Gu Junze nodded in agreement. "A person who can disguise themselves so perfectly must have extraordinary resilience and ruthless methods. They can be used, but they can't be completely trusted."
Chu Ruohan nodded slightly: "That makes sense. Brother Lü should place him as a civil official in the Prefectural Governor's Office of the Capital."
Gu Junze gently patted the back of her hand, comforting her, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Brother Lü is now an important official in the court, and he knows what he's doing. We'll just have to watch."
Chu Ruohan finally relaxed completely, leaned on his shoulder, looked at the moonlight outside the window, and said softly, "Speaking of which, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet will be held in a few days."
"Hmm." Gu Junze responded, "This year's palace banquet will probably be exceptionally 'lively'." With the Third Prince's faction uprooted and the power structure in the court reshuffled, countless eyes are secretly observing the new landscape at this year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
Chu Ruohan seemed not to understand the deeper meaning in his words, and simply said leisurely, "Qingchen is going to have a headache again now that she's in the palace."
Gu Junze chuckled and put his arm around his wife's shoulder: "Let her be. We can't force her."
The gentle moonlight elongated their shadows, intertwining them in a serene and peaceful scene, just like back then.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, palace lanterns are hung high, extending from the palace gates all the way to the Hall of Supreme Harmony where the banquet is held, making it as bright as day.
Chu Ruohan accompanied Gu Junze into the palace with her two children. Today, she was dressed in a dark blue imperial robe embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, looking dignified and graceful, with a calm and composed demeanor as she walked.
Gu Qingchen changed out of her usual riding attire and concealed her sharp edge, leaving only her stunningly beautiful face, which truly gave her a touch of the quiet and virtuous demeanor of a noble lady from the capital.
Even so, her appearance still attracted many curious glances.
As soon as they sat down at the table, the head lady-in-waiting beside the Empress came over personally, with dignified steps and a respectful smile on her face.
"Lord Duke, Duchess, Her Majesty the Empress requests that you and Miss Gu come to Fengyi Palace for a talk."
Gu Junze glanced at Chu Ruohan, who gave him a reassuring look. He then stood up, took Gu Qingchen's hand, and left the table with the female official.
A warm fragrance filled the air inside the Phoenix Palace. The Empress saw Chu Ruohan enter.
"Sister Ruohan, come sit here with me." She stepped forward with exceptional warmth, took Chu Ruohan's hand, and spoke with familiarity and reliance, as if the two were truly close friends who had not seen each other for many years.
Chu Ruohan maintained a polite smile throughout. Following her lead, she took two steps, then subtly withdrew her hand and bowed slightly in greeting.
"Before Her Majesty the Empress, this humble woman dares not overstep her bounds."
Her actions and words, respectful yet distant, clearly delineated the boundary between ruler and subject.
The Empress's smile froze for a moment before returning to normal, as if she hadn't noticed the deliberate sense of distance.
She turned to look at Gu Qingchen, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
"It's been a few years since I last saw Qingchen, and she's grown even more beautiful. I've heard that she has a cheerful and outgoing personality, unlike the shy and timid girls in the capital. She's a perfect match for the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent instantly, even the sound of breathing became soft.
The ladies sitting with him all turned their gazes toward Gu Qingchen, their eyes filled with scrutiny and inquiry...